


Every Passing Day

by Urby



Series: We're Here (Shine-verse) [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes
Genre: Gen, Slice of Life, Video Game Mechanics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:01:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26197540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Urby/pseuds/Urby
Summary: The Great Hero figures out their new life and new powers, one day at a time. (Formerly titled "Shine")
Series: We're Here (Shine-verse) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1940215
Comments: 5
Kudos: 30





	1. The Vision that Commands/The Touch that Evokes

**Author's Note:**

> If other people have already written or experimented with similar ideas, I apologize! I wanted to do my own take but didn't do too much looking around to see what was already done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit 2/8/21: I've changed all references to "Kiran" to "Shine"! Same character, just a different name.

Sharena's skills at reconnaissance meant that she spent quite a lot of time away from familiar faces and trying to stay hidden from unfamiliar ones. It was time spent figuring the relative strength of any resistance, of noting potential points of interest, seeing how those might change throughout the day. It was a job too important to bore her, but it did involve a lot of waiting, and she was always eager to rejoin with the rest of the Order of Heroes. Especially when the situation could turn precarious, like the one she'd been tasked to investigate...

So, naturally, when she saw the familiar banner flying in the wind, she rushed down to meet with the other party to inform them of Emblian movements in the World of Mystery. It didn't take her long to notice that the Commander and her brother were joined by someone she hadn't seen before, wearing what was clearly an Askran outfit of importance though she hadn't seen _that_ before either.

Whoever this new person was, they held the divine relic, and not with the sort of delicate touch that priests and other figures or importance handled it with. Sharena was so captivated by the glow it had that she almost failed to notice how tired her new comrade looked.

"You mentioned you fought your way here," she said. "What happened? Everyone looks well except the Great Hero."

"We didn't meet too much resistance, and Shine was able to help us get through with ease...but their powers seem to have a disorienting effect on them," Anna explained. "They get better after some rest, but we haven't been able to give them as much as we'd like."

Shine managed a little wave, but they weren't present enough to chip in with any words of their own. They sat heavily on their heels and brought their hands to the sides of their head.

Alfonse sighed. "They mentioned something they see giving them nausea, but it's unlike anything we've ever heard of. It's something we'll have to get an experienced healer to look at. Though, given how far Embla has been able to get into the World of Mystery, that might have to wait awhile..."

"I'll be up in a minute," Shine said, their words spaced out oddly, as if they were dealing with an uneasy stomach. "Don't let me hold you back."

Sharena worried at her lip with her teeth. It wasn't the first time she'd witnessed someone being pushed beyond their capacities for the sake of a mission, but it still didn't sit with her well. Anna and Alfonse took positions on the hill they were currently camped at in order to have a look at what Sharena had told them about in her report. She took the opportunity to sit by the Great Hero and offer the stability of a hand on their back. "I hope the Commander didn't wear you out too much, Shine. Would you like some water?"

It took a moment for them to look up and for their gaze to come into focus, but when they did, they gave her a light smile. "Ah, no, I'm good...Sharena, you said your name was? It's nice to meet you," they said, wiping some of the sweat off their pale face.

"The pleasure's all mine! Hang in there, okay?"

"Ah...I hope so!"

"We can't waste much time," Alfonse warned. "If Sharena's reports are correct, Embla has gained control of a powerful Hero, and there is no doubt they want to gain control of others."

"Do they have a Summoner too?" Shine asked weakly.

"They don't. Or they shouldn't, anyway," Anna said. "There's only one Breidablik."

Shine ran a hand through their hair and stood, pushing on their knees to do so. "Okay...okay. I'm ready to help."

Sharena noticed their tentative steps and stepped closer to them. "You can lean on me if you're still feeling tired!"

"Sharena, give them some space --" Alfonse began, but the Summoner had already taken up her offer. He sighed and followed Anna as they made their way to the battlefield, where Minerva awaited them.

There were plenty of things Sharena was looking forward to after the success of the campaign, like having a proper bath and a full meal, but now "getting to know the Great Hero" was on that list! It was too soon to celebrate, though, so she kept her excitement to her smile.

Minerva issued her challenge, and Shine groaned against Sharena's arm.

"Shine? Are you unwell?"

"The overlay is back," they said. "Just when I was hoping it went away for good..."

"Overlay?"

"Something is superimposed on top of my vision," they explained, leaning harder onto her to stabilize themselves. "It's really taxing to keep the overlay and what I'm currently looking at distinct on top of strategizing..."

Sharena didn't need to look at them for long to notice that distant look was coming over their face again. "Have you tried closing your eyes?"

"Then I can't see _anything_ , and I need the overlay to help you! It shows me the terrain and the positions of enemies and --"

"Sharena! We need you on the front lines, if possible!" Anna shouted.

"But Shine can hardly stand! They're --" Sharena couldn't finish the sentence before Shine slumped off of her and lowered themselves into a squat.

"You need to go, Sharena. I...think I should be okay."

Sharena hovered nearby for a short moment, weighing her decision. Then, steeling herself, she dusted Shine's uniform briskly and pulled their hood back over their head. "Don't worry! I'll try to stay near your position. You won't get hurt on my watch!"

Their back shot up bolt-straight when the hood, slightly too big for their head, fell a bit in front of their eyes. They tugged it down further.

"Shine...?"

Before they could answer her, she felt pulled away - as if a command she hadn't heard, but rather _knew_ , had been given to her, and that command was of an authority she could not deny. Not long after she reached the location indicated by the command, another appeared in her mind, crystal clear yet indistinct, guiding her feet and her lance.

The command was not given in words, but if she had to give a voice to it, to identify who was responsible...it had to be Shine. It could have been no one else!

In the distance, she could see Anna, Alfonse, and the rest of the squadron moving to intercept Minerva's camp, but...never had she felt so coordinated with them with such little back-and-forth! The battle was far swifter than she had anticipated, and somehow she'd been able to intercept a flank from one of the captured fliers without even realizing there was one.

Once the battle was over and they'd regrouped, the Askran forces found Shine back up on their feet, hood still pulled over most of their face, but not enough to conceal their smile.

"I think I fixed the overlay!" they said when approached. "It doesn't bother me nearly as much if I _cover_ my eyes! And wouldn't you know, the inside of my hood is the perfect shade for these peepers."

"That's good," Alfonse said. "I noticed you guided us with more confidence."

"So that was you!" Sharena beamed. "I understand how you're helping us now!"

Despite how obscure most of their face was, it was clear Shine was very pleased. "As long as I don't have to do any moving around, it's perfect!"

"Then I have bad news to break to you," Anna sighed. Then, taking a deep breath, she announced: "Everyone, listen up. I've just gotten a report that Emblian soldiers are advancing on our kingdom!"

Shine's expression fell.

* * *

Between mission outings, Shine tried to learn the lay of the castle and figure out how to live in it. It took a few days for them to realize that they _were_ living in it, and they still needed to do important things like eat and sleep. But, there was still enough time to wander, to explore, and find out that yes, despite the limited ways they could interact with the castle as _the Summoner_ , the castle was quite a lot bigger than they had anticipated. There were a lot more people in it than they anticipated. So many things happened inside of it.

It was almost as if it was a real castle, or something.

They helped out with whatever they could find in order to help develop their sense of direction. Refilling quivers over here, tending to animals there, volunteering at the Order's mess hall...

Still, they needed to be guided on occasion, and it was almost always Sharena who would be available to show them where certain things were.

"And here's the library!" Sharena said, indicating the entrance chamber with a flourish. "My brother would probably be a better guide for what's inside, though. He's much more familiar with it than I am."

Shine smiled at the gesture of enthusiasm. "I'll try to go through it when I have time! I have a lot of catching up to do."

"Don't devote all of your time to studying! You have us to lean on if there's something you don't know."

"Yes, but I like to learn!" they said, stepping into the library. The chamber opened up to a massive hall, the ceiling so high they had to crane their neck and shelves that stretched almost to the point of touching it. Windows paned with decorated glass kept the room from being too dark, but the density of the shelves and books gave it a bit of a cloistered feel. "Hoo! Seems I have a lot of learning to do."

"Do you want to start your learning now, or is there something else you'd like me to show you?" Sharena asked.

"Mmm, actually, there was another...oh!" they had tried to turn towards her to give their answer, but an overlay filled with numbers and images popped up when they did so. They pulled their hood down before they got sick. "I'm sorry, but..."

"Are you seeing another 'overlay'?"

"Yep. This one's new."

"It's fine! I wouldn't want you to get dizzy," Sharena said. "What are you seeing this time?"

"This time it's a summary of your combat capabilities," Shine said after a moment of examining the overlay. "There's quite a bit of detail here."

"Does it go into detail about how great I am?" she said, her smile evident in her voice. "Though, I'm sure my brother and the Commander would say I have a lot of room to improve."

"Well, without any other context, I'd say you're fine, but...like, right here there's a gap that I'm not sure how to address..." they lifted a finger to indicate what they were looking at before realizing how ridiculous that was. They noticed that the overlay reacted to that, though --

From under their hood, they noticed Sharena's feet shift, as if she had flinched. "Who poked me?" she asked. "...Huh, there's no one else here."

"Don't tell me..." Shine muttered. "Is this part of the thing..." they wiggled their hands a bit to see if they could get the overlay to react again. Side to side? No. Forward?

"Is that you that's doing that!?"

"I think?"

"There's no way that you can touch me, though! You're not even that close to me!"

"It's...sort of like the maps but I have to...reach?" they said, holding their hand out. They didn't notice any movement from anything else in the room. "Okay, that one didn't work. Um..."

"Do you have to think about touching me?"

"What? No! It was an accident; I had no idea this overlay had any functionality beyond just looking at stats."

Sharena tapped her foot in thought. "I wonder why that overlay would give you that ability, though? Does it affect anything that you see?"

"No..." Shine tried gesturing in front of themselves, but the lack of reaction made them assume that those movements weren't triggering whatever the overlay was waiting for. They tried again, moving as if placing their hand on some imaginary object, and...

Sharena laughed quietly, as if she was covering her mouth. "It kind of tickles, actually!"

"This is weird. I can _think_ at the combat overlay and it works fine, but in order to do this thing that this one can do, I have to move towards it?" they thought aloud. "Like...oh."

"Oh?"

"An overlay is like a screen. I have to...tap the screen?" they said, moving their finger as if tapping a surface in front of them.

"There it is again! I think you've figured it out, Shine!"

They shook their head, wondering how all of this could possibly help them, and when they straightened, the overlay had disappeared. They pulled their hood down and sighed. "Well, I'm not sure why the Great Hero can do such a thing, but I guess I can do such a thing. Thanks for helping out on such little notice, Sharena."

Sharena beamed. "I didn't mind at all! It's unusual, for sure, but it didn't make me uncomfortable. Although..."

The fact she trailed off filled them with a sense of unease.

"I felt compelled to say something every time you 'tapped' me?" she offered.

Shine pulled on the sides of their hood, trying to make sense of it all. "...Noted. How utterly bizarre...I'm not sure what the use for that sort of power is at the moment."

"Not all magic is strictly useful!" she said. "At least, that's what I've heard."

"And who told you that?"

Sharena's bright expression fell a little bit. "An old comrade! He's no longer with us...but he was a very close friend of ours. He taught me so many things!"

"Sorry to hear about him being gone. I bet you miss him."

"We all do, I think! But, there's so much work to do and so many people to meet. We can't be sad for too long!"

Shine considered that idea as they followed her out of the library and to another region of the castle.

* * *

Shine didn't anticipate using their tapping power that much until they realized they didn't fully understand its limitations. Sure, they'd been able to access it because of an overlay, but was that a hard restriction?

It was, as it turned out. No matter how much they concentrated and gestured towards a person or thing they couldn't conjure up an overlay for, whether for reasons of distance or...significance, nothing seemed to happen. It made sense, they reasoned, considering that the overlays had to do with several game mechanics transmuted into some kind of workable form here in this world they found themselves in. Still, it was rather disappointing to discover they had not become some kind of psionic being on top of all the responsibilities of being the Summoner, even though they could think of many ways a telekinetic touch or grab could help them.

There was still a bit of exploring they could do about the specifics, though. For example...if Sharena happened to be having a meal in their presence and the overlay _happened_ to pop up, and Shine just so happened to be minding the overlay more than the food they were eating...

"Sharena, I'm going to try something real quick, alright?" they said, pulling their hood over their eyes.

"Hm? Oh! Alright. Do you want me to be still?"

"Please keep eating. As long as you're sitting this should work."

 _No matter what someone is currently doing, this overlay shows them in some kind of resting-but-ready position. Sharena's overlay happens to have her holding the Fensalir, which she is not holding right now. She is..._ Shine peered under their hood to be sure. _She's holding a spoon. But I don't think it matters if she is or isn't holding anything as long as it's not the Fensalir. Since what I want to know is..._ they concentrated on the end of the Askran lance and tilted their hand toward it.

Sharena looked up, around, then scratched the side of her face in confusion. After a moment, she turned towards Shine. "Was that a tap, Shine?"

"Did you feel it?"

"I'm not sure, honestly!" she took a moment to consider what she was about to say. "But I had the impression you were tapping me even if I didn't feel it touch me."

"Interesting!" Shine said, lifting their hood. "How distinct would you say that impression was?"

"Pretty distinct! I mean, there's very little I've experienced like those taps of yours!"

"Distinct enough to know _where_ I tapped though?"

She paused in thought, then steeled her expression. "I think I would if you tried again in the same place."

"Okay. I want to try something else but I'll tap in the same place, if that's okay?"

"Alright."

They didn't put the hood over their eyes, just in case they could catch some kind of flinch. It was a little difficult to concentrate on the overlay when Sharena was looking at them and looking so determined, but...the end of Fensalir was there, and...this time, they concentrated on that spot while moving their fork around in their hand. The fork didn't seem to make the overlay react. But, perhaps gesturing _towards_ the overlay while still playing with the fork...?

_How deliberate does this have to be, really..._

"I felt something, but it wasn't as strong," she said. "One more time?"

Interesting. "I'll try to let you know when," Shine said, holding up an empty hand. After nodding a countdown, they pushed a finger forward.

"Behind me?"

"Correct!"

Sharena let out a little helpless laugh. "I can't say it's especially pleasant, even if I'm expecting it. It feels so much more foreign than a regular tap!"

"That's not surprising. I'll have to be pretty careful with these overlays..."

"You'll have to be careful with your food, too, before it gets too cold!"

"Oh? Oh, right."

Shine hoped that living in Askr would continue to be easygoing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I summoned Thrasir the other day and I suddenly got tons of ideas for Hel General stuff but realized that the summoner in those ideas had some particularities, and then I started getting ideas for them along with the default crew. It's one of those things that explode out of control when you have finals-related deadlines...
> 
> There is a possibility that the Askr that is featured in _Stillness_ and _This Will Pass_ is the same one as this, but I'm not sure yet.


	2. IAP

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning for extremely unpleasant magic (but not outright gore.)

"What a beautiful place," Shine said, casting their eyes about as they made their way towards the summoning altar. "The magic here is pretty potent!"

"The legends say that the Breidablik resonated especially strongly in places like this, though this may be the last intact altar in Askr," Anna waved at the ruin around them.

"I really like how Askran motifs look like triskeles," they murmured, tracing their fingers on some of the patterns on the floor.

"Shall I explain to you how the summoning works?" she asked. "Mind, summoning hasn't been done in many years, so my understanding might be lacking."

"Of course! I'm easily distracted; please excuse me."

"You've probably noticed the Orbs we've gathered have a special power inside them," Anna began, pulling an Orb out of their carrying case and handing it to Shine. "Their transformative potential is well known...and several historical texts refer to them being consumed by relics in order to perform great feats of magic. In the Breidablik's case, to reach between realms without the use of Gateways when made to resonate around an altar."

They stared at the Orb in their fingers, then at the Breidablik, for a long moment. "Why can't I just fire the Breidablik anywhere in order to get us some reinforcements like I did the first time?" they asked, holding up the relic.

"If you could, why haven't you?"

Shine rubbed their nose sheepishly. "Ah, mm, I suppose that wouldn't be balanced, would it. What I mean is, altars like this one must, in some fashion, be able to help it pierce the veil between realms more easily."

"Why don't you try it for yourself?" Anna smiled. "I've set aside some Orbs for this very purpose."

It wasn't exactly intuitive to load the Orbs into the Breidablik, as its construction wasn't quite analogous to a pistol, but once the chamber was full, an overlay swam in front of their eyes.

"Okay...so, depending on where I shoot, there's a higher chance of such-and-such Hero?" they muttered, pulling their hood down. "Seems simple enough...let's try it out, then!"

Each summoning filled them with a rush of power, one that coursed through their entire body before reaching out through the Breidablik. The thrill of feeling grander, more powerful than the frame of their body was nearly addicting. Anna took charge of leading the summoned Heroes off the platform, leaving Shine to lose themselves in the sensation of the ritual. 

"Commander Anna! Hand me some more Orbs!" they beamed, panting through their open smile. "I think I can summon a really strong Hero if I keep going!"

"That would be appreciated, Shine, but you've already cleared out our reserves with your enthusiasm," she said, showing them the very empty Orb case. "You've done very well today, but there's little we can do here without any Orbs to power the ritual."

"What! But! But there's...we don't have much time left, and I'm really close, and...there has to be some way to get more, right?" Shine asked. They brought a hand to their head as the overlay on their vision warped and changed too quickly for them to read or track. It was starting to make them a little dizzy, so they closed their eyes, but the feeling of vertigo still remained. "I want to help...I have to...there has to be a way..."

"We can go back to the Order and see what we can do to find some more. With the new recruits, it should be easier than ever!"

"But what if I want Orbs now?" they muttered, barely aware of the words coming out of their mouth, or even the thoughts going through their mind. They clawed at the sides of their hood, trying to blink away the barrage of overlays suddenly assaulting their vision. Even with their hood shading their eyes, the sheer amount of information crowding their senses was making them anxious enough to feel it as a physical sensation. They had to spread their stance to try to stay upright, not trusting their balance. "If Orbs would help the Order..."

"Shine? Shine, it's alright. Can you hear me? I'm right in front of you. Please take my hand. Let's get back to the Order."

_I want to help the Order._

They tried to reach out after having that thought, but the unmistakable feeling of something moving up from their belly up towards their throat made them turn away. "Anna, something's going to happen and...in a sec..."

"Hold on to me!"

They wanted to shove her away, tried to say that they were going to make a horrible mess. But, instead of something pushing out of their mouth as they had anticipated, a searing pain tore up their chest. The moving things pushed towards the tear, and though there was no physical cavity or exit, the Orbs tumbled out of their body, one by one, glittering as only Orbs could.

Shine lost track of how many of the things they pushed out, but when they finally felt their body quieting, they found themselves staring up towards the sky, their head on the Commander's lap. Some of the summoned Heroes were peering down at them, their expressions worried.

"Serra is coming soon," Corrin said. "Hang on until then, alright? She'll help you feel better."

"I dunno," Shine croaked. "I think most of what I feel is regret." They coughed, loud and wet. "What happened to the, uh..."

"I gathered all the Orbs you made," Anna said, moving some of their hair away from their eyes. "The case is basically fit to burst, but...the method is a bit too ghastly for me to recommend you try that again."

They stared up at the sky, so blue and clear of clouds. The wind on their face was just cool enough for them to appreciate it, and the rest of the day seemed like it would be a good one.

"I think I want to go to bed," they said, scratching at their chest where they had felt so cavernous moments before. "I'll...summon more tomorrow, or something, if that's okay..."

"Some proper rest would do you good. I'll make it an order if I have to."

Shine swallowed with difficulty and closed their eyes, nodding when the words to agree wouldn't come.


	3. Savor the Pause for a While

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops I'm posting this right after someone's update about a fic about music from the Summoner's world. I don't mean to steal anyone's thunder!
> 
> The song I had in mind that Shine was listening to at the start is "Un Banc, Un Arbre, Une Rue" (I listened to a lot of classic Eurovision growing up), though I'm sure there are a few songs that fit the description.

Shine - the Great Hero, Summoner of Askr - spent a lot of their free time in the various castle gardens, which made them easy to find. They could be drawing, writing, dancing (if the strange and improvised movements they made could be called dancing), or merely daydreaming, perhaps. Alfonse tried to give them their space if he was aware they were in the gardens, as they seemed to appreciate moments of solitude after spending most of their day being in meetings, arranging combat plans, and tending to their duties. He knew the feeling, after all.

He was passing through the open halls one day when he found Shine sitting at one of the gardens below. He paused, because he could hear...some sort of music coming from where they were, something that wasn't the murmuring of the fountain they sat by. They were still, holding the Breidablik in their hands, though he could not tell what their expression was from his vantage point.

Alfonse didn't want to intrude, and yet...the music was unlike anything he'd heard before, and his curiosity won out. He was not expected anywhere for the moment, and perhaps a bit of time in a garden would do him good, as well. He hoped Shine would be willing to share the space with him.

It took him several minutes to cross the hall and descend into the garden, and when he had, the music seemed to have changed, though it was still something he hadn't heard before. He could hear someone singing, though the language was foreign to him. He tried to puzzle it out as he approached the fountain. The music seemed loudest where they were sitting...

"Alfonse. It's nice to see you," Shine said, giving him a little smile.

"I hope you're doing well, Shine," he said, nodding a greeting. "Do you know anything about that music?"

"I do! It's one of my favorite songs from my mother tongue," they said, waving the Breidablik. "It's...a song about growing up, and pursuing life, and...it's actually kind of melancholy, but it's precious to me."

The music seemed to come from different directions as they moved their hands. Alfonse held his chin in thought as he considered it. "...Is that coming from the Breidablik?"

"Oh! Yes, I was fiddling with it earlier and I managed to figure out how to make it play music from my world!" they said, brightening visibly. They ran their fingers over its surface, as if turning knobs that were invisible to him, and the music quieted. "Hey, what sort of music do you like? Let's play something for you."

"You needn't do that for me."

"Well, I can! So I want to."

They didn't look like they were about to give up, so Alfonse gave the question some consideration. "Once at court...before I joined the Order, there was a magnificent performance by someone with a wooden flute of some sort. I don't know the name of it, however...it's never occurred to me to ask about it, even after all these years."

"Hm! Well, I'm guessing it's not a recorder, but maybe a pan flute might be close?" Shine mused, working at the Breidablik. After a moment, they said, "This should have a pan flute solo," before allowing the relic to fill the air with song.

The two of them listened to the song awhile. It wasn't familiar to him so he had some trouble following it, but it was easy to listen to, and it was fascinating to hear what sounded like a full orchestra coming out of the Breidablik. The flute wasn't an exact likeness of what he remembered long ago, but it still held an air of...nostalgia, perhaps.

It occurred to him Shine had been willing to find things that he liked, but he wasn't quite sure how to return such kindness. "What sort of music do you like, Shine?" he asked.

"Me? Well, mostly I like video game...mmm. That's not especially descriptive even if you knew what a video game is," they wondered aloud. "Techno or electronic doesn't mean anything to you either. This is tough..."

Alfonse was ready to accept that perhaps this was just one of those things that he would have no real way of understanding about Shine, but they eventually said: "I like music that makes me feel something."

"Most forms of music evoke a feeling of some sort, wouldn't you say?" he asked. The Breidablik grew quiet as the song it was playing ended.

"I don't disagree! Maybe it's more appropriate to say that I like music more for the feelings I get when I listen to it," they said, turning the Breidablik in their hands. "Sometimes I want to feel energetic or active. Sometimes I want to calm or slow down. Back home, there were devices that I could use to find and play me a song that could fit whatever mood I wanted to have - or just any song I wanted to hear. I relied on them a lot to focus on things!"

What Shine was describing sounded familiar. "Are you someone who needs some form of noise at all times?"

"Essentially, yes - I take it you might know of that sensation?"

"Not personally, but I've met people who are on both sides of that need." Alfonse closed his eyes briefly. "Come to think of it...I learned of it during the first argument my sister had with a friend of mine."

"Oh! Didn't mean to dredge up bad memories. I'm sorry."

He sighed, making sure to put on a light smile afterwards. "It isn't a bad memory. At the time, I was surprised to hear Zacharias so adamant about cultivating silence in one's mind...just as I was surprised to see Sharena stand up to him and say that such mental silence could be a cruel thing to expect of people."

Shine's expression grew thoughtful as they rested the Breidablik against the side of their head. "And where did you stand on such an issue?"

"I declined to participate in their debate, out of respect for both of them," Alfonse said, clearing his throat softly. "At the time, I was confused as to why they were getting upset at all. I don't feel strongly either way, because my mind does not have a _need_ for one or the other. But, it is something that I have worked on trying to understand since...I feel like I've been able to get closer to my sister as a result."

"How lovely! Sharena and I might lean towards needing noise, but I can see the draws of clearing everything out, even if it's only for a moment," Shine said. "That sort of quiet mind mentality is something a lot of people in my world strive for, but it's harder to cultivate than it seems. I'd like to talk to Zacharias about it one day - see what he thinks."

A curious sensation stirred in Alfonse's chest, but he was quick to push it down - he didn't want to analyze his feelings when he was still in conversation with someone. "I think you would be able to get along with him well," he said instead.

"I'll do what I can to help you find him," they said. "That's a promise."

Alfonse couldn't help but return Shine's smile.


	4. Regular Maintenance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one of those things that I was like, "I'm totally going to write this idgaf" when I started and then when I finished I was all "is this worth anything idk." Content warning for talk about menstruation.

Shine was a person who often deflected offers for help, preferring to do as much as they could on their own. They did seem to have a pretty good grip on when they were out of their depth, though, and happily leaned on others then.

Sharena was always happy to give assistance when they called upon her, of course. They usually asked her about Heroes and the various Worlds, allowing her to spin stories and draw pictures, and they were usually an attentive and appreciative audience. But today, it was clear that when they asked her to help them, they weren't after any of that. They looked worried and weary as they pulled her aside.

"Alright, so. Okay," Shine made a few more false starts before saying, "I have a problem. And I don't know who to ask, but you know this castle like the back of your hand, so you should be able to point me in the right direction. Since I don't have a clue about what direction to take right now." They swallowed hard as they considered something. "Also, I need you to promise that you won't talk about this to anyone else? Like, not any more than is strictly necessary?"

Sharena wondered if she was being conscripted into helping with some sort of dark ritual, but Shine couldn't do that sort of magic. Right? ...Right? She swallowed and nodded. "Do you need to sit?" she asked, hoping to calm their obvious nerves.

Shine's shoulders bunched up close to their ears and they kept their hands pressed close together next to their mouth. "No sitting, just...I need to know where I can get..." they glared at the floor for a long time. Then they coughed a word that sounded like "fmnjducks".

"Shine, you're going to have to speak up if you want me to help you!"

"I don't know what the things are called here and I don't know what's available!" they said in a tight whisper. They cast a quick look around, then made a cupping motion with one of their hands. "Uh...I need something to -- catch blood?"

For a heart-stopping moment Sharena was absolutely certain that this was some kind of dark ritual and that she was going to be the accomplice of some kind of murder, but it suddenly clicked - the possibility that Shine, though not a woman, still had the body of one. "I think I understand," she said, stepping closer so the two of them could speak in lower voices. "Are you...bleeding right now? Laundry is discreet in the Order if you need something clean."

Shine immediately relaxed, their eyes closing in relief. "Thankfully no, but my cycle is soon and I just -- ugh, the pains are already here and I want to be prepared."

Sharena patted their arms reassuringly, and their shoulders rolled down. "Do you want something to help with the pain?"

She had never seen Shine's expression go from one state to one of clear, distinct surprise so quickly. "There's pain stuff here?"

"There's a selection! Here, I'll show you where they are in the infirmary," she said, lightly grabbing their sleeve in order to guide them. "What about your flow? Do you need a lot of help with that?"

They tottered after her with a tense speed. "N...no, not really? For the first few days it's a mess, but then it's more about riding it out..."

She let out a loud sigh, rolling her eyes. "I wish it was so easy for me! If it weren't for some of the special potions the healers get me, I don't even know if I could stand for most of the week when it hits. It makes long campaigns such a pain!"

"Woof. I don't envy you."

"Mother says that it's a sign that I'll be a good mother when it's my turn, but! It's so much trouble to deal with, especially when I'm out patrolling!"

Shine perked up at that - they had figured that the Askran siblings had some kind of obscure or departed parentage, as stories tended to go. "Oh, you have a mother?"

Sharena was so surprised she stopped in her tracks for a moment. "Of course I do! Is that unusual?"

"Ah - excuse me, that wasn't what I meant," they said, their hands waving nervously. "Rather, I was...surprised to hear that your mother is part of the Order of Heroes as well!"

"Well, not quite! She and Father are the reigning royals of Askr, so they're often too busy to mind the day-to-day operations of the Order. They're still well aware of our activities. We are, after all, part of the royal military!"

_A father, too_ , Shine thought, being very careful not to say so aloud. "Come to think of it, I've never met your mother!" they said instead.

"I don't get to see my mother that often myself," Sharena admitted. "But I think she would like you!"

"Oh, Sharena. You say that as if I don't charm everyone I meet," they said, their usual smile spreading across their face.

"That is a talent of yours, I won't deny!" she laughed, and was glad to hear they had put away enough of their earlier unease to laugh as well.


	5. Adagio Stellar

Seeing Heroes doing night watch was a common sight in Askr: most of the ones who did the job were volunteers looking to make themselves useful, so the general mood of the grounds at night was a high-spirited vigilance. Alfonse was grateful to any and all of them - even if the Order of Heroes and the surrounding territories were unlikely to be assaulted directly, it let people rest easier when there were others alert and ready at all times.

He wondered, sometimes, if there would ever not be a need for a night watch, but he often came to the realization that it would be unlikely - in his lifetime, at least. He did not dwell on it much.

An Askran uniform out on the parapet caught his interest. Sharena was no stranger to night patrols, but she preferred to wander rather than be rooted to a single post, and Anna was too often needed to tame the Order's finances to hold watches. So, the white-and-gold silhouette was a little mystery. Once he got close, he began to make out the hood and garb of the Summoner.

"Good evening, Shine," Alfonse called out so they wouldn't be surprised by his presence as he approached.

"Indeed! It's very clear and not too cold. Are you having a good evening, Alfonse?"

"I am."

"Care to sit a spell with me?" they asked, dusting off a spot next to them. He took it with a polite smile. They gave him a little nod before turning back towards the stars.

Alfonse knew he did not know enough about stars to properly appreciate everything about them, but he was grateful for the soothing effect that they had. The Askran wind filled the silence between them.

"You know," Shine said after a long moment, "where I lived back in my world, there's too much light pollution to see this many stars at night. Seeing this many, especially when I don't recognize any of them...it's putting me in a bit of a mood, I guess."

"Plenty of heroes have said Zenith's sky has a melancholy aspect," Alfonse gazed towards a few of the stars he knew were the brightest. "So you are in good company...though that does not make any of your homesickness any less significant."

"I actually studied up on some constellations so that when I had the opportunity to see a star-filled sky, I would be able to find the patterns that I'd only ever found on my body," they said, plopping their chin on a hand. "But now...my brain is trying so hard to find any of the stars I know, and the fact I can't is mildly offensive to my spirit."

He had to run their words through his mind a few times to try to figure out what they meant beyond their dissatisfaction. When he found himself unable to, he said, "Excuse me for the sudden personal question...but what do you mean about patterns and your body?"

"I've got stars all over!" they said, unbothered by the prince's curiosity. "I think the proper term might be 'sun spots'? Calling them stars turned them into something special, though."

It was difficult to imagine such things when they wore an outfit that basically covered them head-to-toe, but he didn't press them to prove it.

"I've even got a constellation on my face!"

That made him turn towards them. "Really?"

Shine paused and looked away, suddenly self-conscious. "Ah, well. Part of one. And it's basically just three points in a line. I just...like to make it sound more important than it really is," they said in something barely above a mutter.

The sudden change in their mood weighed on his heart. He cleared his throat as he considered what was within his bounds to say.

"Could you tell me about that particular constellation?" he asked.

They were silent for a long while, then pulled their hood off their head. "The constellation is Orion, the hunter, and what I have is Orion's Belt. It's, uh, here, I think?" they said, angling their right cheek towards him. They pulled on their skin so they could circle an area, loosely outlining a series of three spots near their cheekbone. They tapped near the one closest to their ear. "The first star is Alnitak. The second is Alnilam. Then, there's Mintaka. A lot of cultures in my world saw something special in these stars, though their interpretations varied. They are generally positive, though - Mintaka is a lucky star in a lot of them."

"The hunter..."

"Yep! Orion is special because everyone in the world can see it, and it has neat stars like Rigel and Betelguese on top of the three I mentioned. They show up in a lot of sci-fi -- ah, that is, they're quite prevalent in all sorts of stories!"

"In Zenith's sky, there is a huntress," Alfonse said. "Said to slide down the snowy plane of the sky, bow at the ready."

"The sky is snowy?"

"In a manner of speaking," he said, searching the sky for an example. "See, by the wolves..." he began, but he quickly realized that they would not know the constellation of the wolves. He gestured, hoping they would be able to glean what he was referring to. "Do you see where the sky lightens?"

Shine stared, silent. He approached so that he could gesture more clearly, and in doing so knocked his pauldron against their shoulder. He winced at his carelessness, but they graciously refrained from commenting on it. When he gestured again, they brightened.

"Oh! You mean the nebula!"

He was unfamiliar with that word, but he nodded anyway.

"So you call it snow? I guess a place with so many mountains as Zenith would lean towards snow. In my world, they call things like this part of the Milky Way. That, long ago, some god or goddess spilled milk that spread across the heavens."

Alfonse considered it for a long moment, but could not imagine the cloudy shapes he was used to seeing as some sort of milk. He knew that the celestial snows were abstractions and part of tales and myths rather than reality, but trying to explain it as anything else just didn't sit quite right. But, he also knew this was what he thought and believed, and that worlds beyond his own had just as much truth to their stories.

"Can we see the huntress in the sky right now?" Shine asked.

"No...she appears in the winter. At this time of year, we see the gatekeeper's tools, up near that bright star. There is a key, of sorts...shaped like...this," he drew an outline loosely.

They stared for a long time without saying anything, and he sighed. "Forgive me. I am not the best teacher," he admitted. "Would you like to look at a map of the sky in the library?"

Shine gave him a warm smile. "That's a nice idea. I could go for something hot to drink right about now."

It was a smile that was easy to return with the same warmth.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is part of the [LLF Comment Project](https://longlivefeedback.tumblr.com/llfcommentproject), which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates feedback, including:
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